


sunlight will leap higher

by siojo



Series: flower shop au [2]
Category: One Piece
Genre: Alternate Universe - Flower Shop, Flirting, Flowers, Insecurity, M/M, talking about feelings
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-27
Updated: 2018-07-27
Packaged: 2019-06-17 03:56:42
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,184
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15452838
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/siojo/pseuds/siojo
Summary: Getting flowers is a simple task, now if his mother and Luffy would quit insisting that he tried dating the flower shop owner, Ace's day would be getting even better.





	sunlight will leap higher

**Author's Note:**

> anadiangelo asked:
> 
> A sequel to lover’s crown of myrtle, the marcoace date? Please?

“I thought you were going to meet me at work,” Ace says softly, feeling more uncomfortable about being on his phone than he thinks most people do as he moves to a corner of the cafe to doctor his coffee. “But I’ve had enough time to go across the street, wait through the awful line and get coffee and you’re not here.”

“Your father,” Ace loves how his mom always calls him that when he’s stupid, because he’ll get to throw it back at her soon, she married him. “and Luffy have made a mess.”

“A mess?” Ace mutters grabbing one of the tiny stirring straws. “Like this will take ten minutes to clean or-?” he leaves the sentence hanging.

Rouge sighs, “As in this is going to take a long time to clean and we still have to have Luffy take a bath. Maybe an hour.”

“That’s a while. I don’t know if the flower place will still be open by the time that you’re done,” Ace can’t remember the exact time that Marco closes, but he does know that by the time they visit both Shanks and Law, Marco’s store is closed up and dark. “Can I talk to Lu?”

“Roger caused most of this mess, so I think Luffy can have a brief break.”

Ace leans against a support beam between two glass panes, sipping his coffee as he waits for her to gather Luffy up.

“Ace?”

“Hey Lu, tia and I were talking and because you and tio made a mess,” he can hear the denial that Luffy mutters, but he ignores it. “Mr. Marco’s flower shop might be closed by the time you’re done. Do you want me to grab flowers?”

“Please!” Luffy’s voice goes up in volume part way through the word. “Um, red for Shanks and Blue for Law!”

“Red and blue. Do you want me to have those pretty white ones sprinkled through it?”

“Uh-huh,” there’s a quiet moment where Ace can hear whispering. “Tia says to ask Mr. Marco on a date because you’re lonely and springle.”

Ace chokes on his coffee, waving off the concern of another nurse that’s balancing two trays of drinks on her hands, breathing, “Tia said what?”

“Tia says that you’re gonna be a grumpy old man and should have a date,” Luffy says instead of repeating himself. “And I like Mr. Marco. Don’t be a springle.”

“Single, Lu. I’m single. I’ll get your flowers, give me back to tia.”

“Okay!”

He waits for his mother to answer, sending Luffy back to help clean up, “You’re turning Luffy against me, mother.”

“You haven’t dated since that disastrous affair with that man that your vô set you up with through his work. And don’t you dare try to say that you dated that young man before you were given Luffy, we both know that wasn’t dating.”

“How do you even know that,” Ace hisses. “I can have sex friends if I want to mother, but who told you?”

“Sabo did,” Ace is already going to murder his best friend, but this just moves that up the list of things he has to do. “He was ‘worried that you were going to get into trouble’. And I agree, he wasn’t a good pick for you.”

“Mother, I’m going to hang up now and pretend that we didn’t have this conversation. I’m not going to ask Marco out, I’m literally shopping at his store, that’s more than a touch awkward.”

“If you say so dear. We shouldn’t be horribly long. I’ll send a text when we leave.”

Ace takes the time to send Sabo a text, informing him that he’s dead, before slipping it into a pocket and taking a fortifying sip of coffee before heading down the street to the flower shop.

“No Luffy?” Marco asks looking up from the bucket of flowers that he’s working with.

“He and my dad are in the middle of picking up after themselves. My mother says that they’ll be done in a bit, but I didn’t know if you would be open, so,” he shrugs slightly. “I asked him what he wanted today instead.”

Marco laughs, “I close in about twenty minutes, so that’s probably a good idea,” he stands up and brushes his knees. “What can I get you both today?”

“Red flowers for Shanks and blue for Law, please. And the little white ones in both,” Ace answers. “He was very insistent on the little white ones.”

“Red, huh?” Marco frowns at his flowers. “Let’s see, do you want roses or?”

Ace snaps a picture and send it to his mother, “I have no idea, do you mind waiting just a moment?”

“It’s fine, your orders are about the most creativity I’m allowed. Normally clients already know what they want down to the smallest detail or “what means I love you”.”

“Do you actually know the answer to that?” Ace asks as his phone pings, his mother typing Luffy’s answer, which seems to have an unusual amount of exclamations if it was anyone other than Luffy. “He would love the roses, lots of them, please.”

“I know that roses say I love you, at least red ones,” Marco answers picking several and moving through the rest of his reddish flowers. “But flower meanings are less important than aesthetics and I’m more focused on that, if that makes sense.”

“I can see why, you do beautiful work.”

Marco raises an eyebrow and Ace can feel the heat rising in his cheeks, “I’m glad you think so, since you’re paying for it.”

“I would have come back even if you didn’t,” Ace admits. “Most people brush Lu aside, but you didn’t and he loved it. He’s been telling all of his friends about the nice flower man, Mr. Marco.”

“Is that why I have had an influx of children,” Marco grins. “They’re cute and I think most of them are well behaved. I think it helps that I talk to them instead of at them. There’s one, are they going in the vase you got the first time?”

“Yes, Shanks says he doesn’t need more vases. Benn would kill him, apparently. And Law’s decorated his with stickers and says that it’s “the” vase for flowers,” Ace admits, sliding through the gallery of his phone. “Here’s what it looks like last we visited.”

“That’s a lot of polar bears,” Marco says shaking his head. “How did he get all those stickers?”

“Who honestly knows.”

It’s nice talking to Marco, there’s not much to worry about because Marco is professional and Ace is keeping their talk to topics that make sense. Unlike his mother who insists he needs to date more, which he doesn’t. He’s perfectly fine without it.

“If you want to wait a moment, I’m just closing up,” Marco says after Ace’s paid. “I can walk you back to the hospital. I have to drive Vista home tonight because he’s been pulling too many long shits.”

“Oh,” Ace doesn’t shift, but he thinks about it. “Alright.”

Marco grins, flipping the sign in the door and turning off the lights outside before counting down his drawer and finishing up the little things that he needs to do. Ace tries not to watch him, because that’s weird, isn’t it?

“Ready,” Marco says throwing a bag over his shoulder, a pair of glasses sliding down his nose as he tries to get them to stay in place.

“Shouldn’t you always be wearing those?” Ace asks as Marco gets the door.

Marco laughs, “They’re for reading,” Ace wishes that Marco would stop laughing, or maybe do it less. “I don’t need them to make arrangements.”

“I suppose you wouldn’t.”

There’s a long moment of silence, where Ace worries that he should say more, that he should add to the conversation, but Marco doesn’t look uncomfortable. Ace bites the inside of his cheek instead, trying to remember if he had taken his medication or if he should talk to his doctor about upping the dose.

“Are you busy,” Marco asks suddenly. “Not tonight, but tomorrow?”

Ace blinks, “I think I have Luffy tomorrow. Mom and dad have a date night and that means I can’t have them watch him.”

“Well, are you and Luffy busy?”

“Busy?”

Marco smiles, “I’m trying to ask you on a date. Unless you aren’t interested. If you aren’t, we can forget that his whole talk happened.”

“No!” Ace wants to bury his face in his hands, but he has  _flowers_. “I wouldn’t mind, I mean,” he takes a breath. “I would love to go on a date, with you. But are you sure you want Luffy to come with us?”

“Luffy’s important to you,” Marco answers. “And unless you want to keep it private from him until you know if this is more than just casual, I don’t mind that he comes along with us. He’s a good kid.”

“Tomorrow sounds good,” Ace decides. “Maybe not dinner? Luffy and I had plans, but what do you say to the aquarium?”

“I do like the aquarium, we could have lunch? Look around.”

“In good faith, I should warn you that Luffy will be repeating facts that you probably already know because he’s been researching for the last two weeks. I know that can be annoying.”

“That sounds cute,” Marco pauses and Ace blinks at the hospital in confusion. “What time?”

“Ten?” Ace fumbles for his phone. “Here, add your number and text yourself. That way we can meet up?”

“I’d like that,” Marco agrees taking the phone and adding himself. “I should warn you, I’m liable to try and hold your hand.”

Ace’s face feels warm again, “I’m a big fan? Of holding hands?”

“Good,” Marco’s still smiling at him and Ace wants to throw himself into a hole. “Night, Ace.”

“Good night.”

* * *

“Ace!” Luffy shouts, throwing himself into Ace’s knees. “I’m here!”

“Luffy, too loud,” Ace teases brushing his hair back. “Did you finish cleaning up your mess with tio?”

“Tia left tio to pick up the worst of it,” Luffy admits. “You got pretty flowers! Did you tell Mr. Marco that I was sorry?”

“Sorry?”

“Yeah, cause I gotta pick flowers and I wasn’t there,” Luffy explains. “It’s mean to have Mr. Marco pick them all. Did you help?”

Ace tries not to laugh, “Mr. Marco liked picking them out, he said so. Hey, mom.”

Rouge smiles, “You’re looking as exhausted as ever. Are you sure that you don’t want me to keep Luffy overnight? I’m sure you’ll get more sleep without him kicking you in the ribs.”

“We have to get up early for the aquarium anyway,” Ace says shaking his head, pausing for a moment. “Hey Lu?”

“Huh?”

“Is it okay if Mr. Marco comes to the aquarium too?”

Luffy tilts his head, but he looks excited, “You asked him on a date?”

“No! I didn’t- I mean-”

“Cause I like Mr. Marco. He’s nice and when we pick flowers he talks about his brothers and sisters and his dad. I told him lots about you and tia and tio and daddy and everyone too.”

Ace ignores his mother laughing, “What do you think dating is, Lu?”

“Being gross and mushy like Shanks and Benn,” Luffy answers instantly before his nose wrinkles in disgust. “You and Mr. Marco can’t be gross and mushy at the aquarium. Just cause Mr. Marco is coming doesn’t mean that you can.”

“Well,” Ace grins. “What about holding hands?”

Luffy pouts, thoughtful, “I guess holding hands is okay.” He pauses, eyes wide. “Mr. Marco wants to hold your hand?”

“He said maybe.”

“Kay. Can we go give Shanks and Law the flowers?”

Ace frowns because he’s sure there’s more to that sentence than Luffy said, “Sure. After we say bye to tia.”

“Bye tia, I’ll make sure Ace doesn’t stay springle,” Luffy shouts throwing himself at her for a hug. “Love you!”

“I’m sure you’ll do an excellent job,” Rouge agrees, ruffling his hair. “I love you too, Luffy.”

“Bye mom,”

“Bye Ace, having fun at the aquarium with Luffy and your date.”

Ace makes sure that Luffy isn’t looking when he sticks his tongue out at her. He’s only just gotten Luffy to stop doing it, it wouldn’t do for him to start it back up again.

“Ace?”

“What’s up?” Ace asks curiously.

Luffy shifts slightly, “If you date Mr. Marco, does that mean you won’t be there for me anymore?”

“Of course not,” Ace says slowly. “Hold these,” he makes sure that Luffy has a grip on the flowers before picking him up. “Luffy, you’re my first priority. If Mr. Marco wants to date me, he has to learn that you’re gonna be more important than dates or time with just him.”

“Mean it?”

“Pirate Pinky Promise,” Ace assures. “You know, Mr. Marco said I could bring you on dates, because he knows how important you are to me. And if he hadn’t, then I would have said no.”

“Really?”

“Really, really.”

Luffy grins, bright and blinding, “Okay! Flowers now, right?”

“Flowers now,” Ace agrees.


End file.
